Controversy erupted when Mika
Hakkinen, the 1998 World Champion, surrendered the lead of the San Marino
GP when his car lost traction on the curbing in front of the pit straight.
"At first we thought it was a result of driver error
or mechanical failure," team manager Ron Dennis said, "but then we made
a closer examination of the track footage which revealed some foreign substance
shooting out from under Mika's wheels." He has lodged a formal protest
with the FIA.Nearby observers said they witnessed what seemed
to be some sort of pasta flying through the air and some reported being
splattered with what appeared to be transmission fluid with a "meat sauce"
flavor. Stewards had reported a man wearing a Porsche polo shirt in the
area moments before the accident.
In unrelated news the annual meeting of the Academy
of Italian Cuisine will resume tomorrow in nearby Bologna.